This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Hey friends, what's up? Welcome to Side Hustle School. This is Chris Guillebeau, your host. Yesterday we were talking about driftwood art. The day before that, slow growth, trying to figure out how to grow a business.
Earlier this week we had a virtual study buddy, someone who made her first thousand dollars in the world of tutoring and motivational coaching. Today is our Throwback Thursday segment where we take an in-depth look at someone whose story has evolved since we first featured them. Recently featured the visionary behind a cricket farm that specializes in edible insect snacks. He shared insights into market shifts, supply chain challenges, so on. All kinds of fun stuff in the edible insect world.
Today, however, we're gonna go way back episode, I don't even remember the original episode, but we're gonna hear from a sustainability consultant who discovered her first client from a familiar place. Or perhaps an unexpected place, depending on how you look at it. The source was her employer. Her employer actually became her first client in her side hustle. She'll tell us a little bit about that today, but also what's happened since.
So her name is Michaela, let's hear directly from Michaela. I'll come back at the end with a quick wrap up. Sustainability consultant finds side hustle at day job. [Music]
Hey there, I'm Michaela, and I stumbled upon my side hustle as a sustainability consultant in the most unexpected way, right at my nine to five job. I work as a data analyst in a mid-sized tech company, and I couldn't help but notice the wasteful practices around me from excessive printing to a staggering amount of single use plastics in the office kitchen.
I felt compelled to make a change. So I pitched a sustainability initiative to my boss, and to my surprise, not only was it well received, but I was also asked to lead it. Through research, workshops, and training, I managed to help my company reduce its carbon footprint significantly within a year. That experience showed me that there was a need for sustainability consulting, especially for small to medium sized businesses that don't have the in-house resources to navigate these changes themselves. Seeing the impact at my own workplace, and with their blessing, I started to branch out.
I made a LinkedIn profile specifically highlighting sustainability projects and networked within industry groups. Before long, I landed my first client, a local cafe looking to go green. I helped them transition to compostable cups and straws, optimize their recycling processes, and even assisted with community outreach. From there, I took on a variety of clients, from retail shops to tech startups. Because of the project-based nature of this work, it's a little tricky to nail down a consistent monthly income.
However, in my first year, I made $28,000 on the side. Not too bad for a hustle born from genuine concern for the planet. The journey, though fulfilling, had its lessons. One major hurdle was learning to scope projects appropriately. In my enthusiasm, I would sometimes propose overly ambitious sustainability initiatives that would overwhelm my clients.
Over time, I learned to focus on high impact, yet achievable goals that provided quick wins and longer term strategic value. Thinking about things from the client's perspective made a big difference. Another lesson was the importance of quantifying impact. Businesses want to see numbers, whether that's in cost savings, reduced emissions, or increased customer engagement. So, I invested in learning some data analytics tools, like Google Data Studio, to track key metrics and present them in an easily digestible format.
So what should you know if you're interested in doing something like this? First, familiarize yourself with not just environmental concerns, but also relevant industry specific issues and technologies. Second, focus on one or two high impact areas, like waste management or energy efficiency, and expand your offerings as you gain experience and credibility. Third, learn how to measure and articulate the benefits of sustainable practices in terms your clients will appreciate, such as cost savings, compliance, and brand enhancement. Lastly, be adaptable.
Sustainability is a dynamic field. Always be ready to learn and adapt to new best practices, technologies, and regulatory changes. It's been an exhilarating year and not just because of the extra income. The real highlight for me has been seeing businesses make changes that are both good for them and good for the planet. I can't wait to see where this journey takes me next.
- Thank you so much, Michaela. Appreciate the story as well as the advice to other listeners who are out there trying to make their own side hustle, their own small business, or just create more economic freedom for themselves and also do something that makes the world a better place. You know, all those things are good. Listeners, let me know what you think, who you'd like to see featured from our archives of more than 1,000 stories going back to 2017, and of course, continuing every single day since seven days a week. So excited to make this podcast for you.
Today's notes, sidehustleschool.com/2483. 2,483. More to come. I hope you'll tune in. My name's Chris Guillebeau.
This is "Side Hustle School." [Music]
from The Onward Project.
